Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Patients Need EBV DNA Test During Treatment

Testing patient blood for DNA from Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) during treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma effectively predicts the clinical outcome. A biomarker test such as this could identify patients whose treatment could be intensified after a month or so of standard therapy as well as those who might benefit from less aggressive treatment.

Although EBV is associated with nasopharynx cancer, which develops in the upper area of the throat, a causal relationship has not been established. However, cancer cells contain EBV genetic material, which leaks into the bloodstream and can be detected using DNA tests. This suggests that the more cancer cells in the body the higher the levels of EBV DNA in blood.

A study to identify patients with an EBV viral load before treatment is finished was lead by Anthony Chan, M.D., director of the Cancer Center at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China). "We found that patients with undetectable EBV DNA mid-course through treatment had a greatly reduced risk of developing cancer recurrence two years after treatment, compared with patients with detectable EBV DNA,” said Dr. Chan. "It is possible to test for EBV DNA levels at any time point, so based on further validation studies, we may be able to use biomarker levels at several time points to guide clinical therapy,” he added.

Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Molecular Diagnostics in Cancer Therapeutic Development meeting held in Philadelphia (PA, USA) on September 22-25, the study highlights the strong link between the virus and this cancer, which is common in Southern China and develops in Chinese immigrants. It also suggests that genetic levels of EBV should be assessed before and during treatment, not just after therapy, as it is now.

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Chinese University of Hong Kong